Jul 22, 2009
Washington, DC - Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, issued the following statement on the U.S. Senate rejecting an amendment to a Defense bill authored by Senator John Thune (R-SD) related to concealed weapons permits:
“The United States Senate today defeated a dangerous proposal that would have undermined public safety and the safety of our police officers. This proposal would have let people from states with the weakest gun laws in the nation carry hidden, loaded weapons in states with much stronger gun laws. It was a profoundly bad idea.
“I’m grateful for the leadership in this fight of Senators including Richard Durbin of Illinois, Dianne Feinstein of California, Charles Schumer of New York and Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey. I am hopeful that our Congress will now start addressing proactive measures to reduce gun violence in this country by doing things like requiring background checks for all gun sales, particularly at gun shows. We make it too easy for dangerous people to get dangerous weapons in America.”
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The Brady Campaign is the nation's largest citizens' lobby to prevent gun violence. We represent the voice of the overwhelming majority of Americans who are tired of living with the constant tragedy of gun violence and are in favor of strong laws and policies that will save lives. We are the light that exposes politicians who are putting the American people at risk, empowering the American people to hold them accountable for decisions and actions that undermine public safety.
We are driven by the focused vision of a nation where all Americans are safe at home, at work, at school, and in our communities.
Dan Gross is the President of the Brady Campaign and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. A photo and more information about Dan Gross is available here.
For more insight on gun violence prevention, follow The Brady Blog, Facebook Page and Twitter Account.